Steam engine



(No Model.) 3l Sheets-Sheet 2.

H." SBB. STEAM 2221MB.

No. 252,267. Patnted Jan. 1 0, 1882.

NVENTOR Mwmow ff Y@ ATTORNEYT (No Model.)

E. SEE, STEAM ENGINE.

No. 252,267. Patented 1211.121882 llllllllllllllll'lllllll Illlllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllll| [NVE/vm? v VUNITED STATES to an engine of such description, but certain ot"` PATENT OFFicE.

HORACE SEE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE WILLIAM GRAMP 8U SONS SHIP AND PANY, or SAME PLAGE.

ENGINE BUILDING GOM- STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Norv252,26'7, dated January 1b, 1882. Application filed October 29, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom t mag/concern:

` Be it known that I, HORACE SEE, of the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements` in Steam Engines, of which improvements the following is a specification.

My invention, having been especially designed for use in vertical direct-actingmarine steam-enginesof the tandem7compound type, will be herein described and shown as applied its features are, as will hereinafter appear, equally applicable to steam-engines of dili'erent' construction. Y

The objects of the invention, are to provide simple and effective hleans for connecting the piston-rod of the low-pressure cylinder to its piston and to the piston-rod ot' the high-pressure cylinder; to provide steam reversing mechanismof improved construction, .and to so combine the same with other portions of the structure as to effect an economy of space and admit of convenient access to working parts, and to afford improved facilities for applying and operating a steam-cylinder independent ot' the main engine,`to wholly or partially rotate the crank-shaft. i

y To these ends my improvements consist in certain novel devices and combina-tions hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an end view, in elevation, of a vertical directactingengine embodying my invention; Fig. 2, aside view, in elevation; and Fig. 3, a horizontal lsection at the line :v x of Fig, 1 ofthe. same 5 Fig. 4, a sectional elevation of the high and low pressure piston-rods and their connec- V tions; Fig. 5, a transverse section at the line yg/ot'FigA; Figsand 7, plan and side views respectivelyot' the nut'ot the high-pressure piston-rod; Fig. S, a `side view, partly in secy tion, of' theindepende'nt turning engine; Figs.

9 and 10, plan and end views respectively of the same; and Fig. 11', a view in perspective showing the pawls ot' the turning-gear.

The high and low pressurel cylinders 1 2are located in line vertically-above the frames or valves of the two cylinders are operated by eccentrics 6. the rods 7 of which are connected to the valve-link 8 by the movements of which the valves are reciprocated. The cut-off valve of the high-pressure cylinder is worked by a separate eccentric and curved arm admitting of variations, as desired, in the grade of expansion. The steam exhausted from the steamchest of the low-pressure passes through the exhaust-pipe 9 to the condenser l0. The airpump, circulating-pump, and sundry other de'- tailsof the mechanism not com prehended within my present invention are for greater clearness lomitted from the drawings.

In engines of the type herein shown and described it is of material importance that the rods of the high and low pressure pistons should be set and be maintained truly in line, that they should be firmly connected one to the other, and that facilities should be provided for the removal of the low-pressure piston, when required, without removing or disturbing the attachments of the high-pressure cylinder. These objects I attain by the construction shown in Figs. 1V to inclusive, referring to which the manner of connecting the rods will be plainly seen. The high-pressure piston-rod 11 has a collar, 12, formed upon it adjacent to its lower end, and the rod is tapered inwardly, or of truste-conical form, from the collar 12 to said lower end. The tapered portion 13 of the rod fits within a corresponding central bore or recess in the upper end of the low-pressure piston-rod 14, the taper of the meeting surfaces' serving to guide and center the high-pressure rod accurately in. line with the axis oi the low-pressure rod. A male thread, 15, is cut upon the periphery of the rod 14 from its upper end to a point below the bottom of the`recess which receives the rod ll, and the rod 14 is tapered outwardly from the bottom ofthe thread l5 to a collar, 16, which forms the bearing to receive the low-pressure piston 17, said piston being secured'in position by an internally-threaded sleeve or nut, 18, engaging the thread l5 and clamping the piston between its lower face and the collar 16. The

: rod 11 is fixed in its bearing in thc rod 14 by an externally-threaded sleeve or nut, 19, divided vertically into two halves, so as to permit of its insertion and removal, said halves being connected by pins or screws 20. rThe nut 19 tits accurately around the rod 11, and its thread engages that of the nut 18, so that when screwed to a proper bearingl upon the collar 12 it connects the rods l1 and 14 firmly together, while admitting of their ready separation whenever required. Set-screws 21 22 prevent the slackening of the nuts 18 and 19, respectively, when the same are adjusted in position. A collar, 23, adjacent to the upper end of the rod 11, forms the seat or bearing for the high-pressure piston 24, which is secured in position by a nut, 25, and the cross-.head 26 is similarly clamped against a shoulder on the low-pressure rod by anut. Divided bushings are employed in the glands between the high and low pressure pistons, by the removal of which and of the nut 19 the high-pressure piston and rod may be removed through the upper end of its cylinder whenever desired.

The valve-link 8 and the connected distribution-valves of the high and low pressure cylinders are shifted in position, as required for stopping, starting, and reversing the direction of movement of the crank-shaft 28, by a steamv Vreversing-cylinder, 30, titted with a proper piston and steam valve, which latter is operated 'by hand through a lever, 31,journaled in a `der is arranged substantially in line horizontally with the link 3, when the latter is in the position which it occupies when the crank 29 is upon either ofits cen ters, and is supported upon the exhaust -pipe 9, which is recessed transversely, as shown in Figs. 2and 3, to enable the reversing-cylinder to be placed in line vertically with the link, and to clear the adjacent operating-connection of the cylinder with the link. The reversing-cylinder 30 is bolted 'tol the exhaust-pipe 9 through flanges abutting against corresponding bearing-surfaces on the exhaust-pipe above and below the recessed portion thereof, at which portion the exhaustpipe is expanded transversely, as seen in Figs.

1 and 3, to prevent the reduction of its sectional area which would otherwise be incident to reeessing it. The piston-rod 33 of the reversing-cylinder passes through a proper stuffing-box at the outboard end of the cylinder,

and is secured to a cross-head, 34, working in guides 35. The cross-head 34 is coupled by a -pair of connecting links or bars, 36, to pins or wrists 37 on the. sides ofthe valve-link 8, and the movements of the piston of the reversingcylinder are thus communicated directly to the valve-link, and transmitted thereto, as nearly as may be, in right line, eliminating the rockshafts and other intermediate mechanisms heretofore employed, and inducing a corresponding advantage in economy of construction and facility of operation. The valve-stem of the reversing-cylinder is coupled by articulated links to the cross-head, so that while the opening movements of the valve are effected by hand the'valve is closed automatically by the movement of the cross-head, so as to preventjar or concussion by sudden termination of the stroke of the piston.

-The crank-shaft 28 may be rotated to any desired degree by an independent turning engine, ,the construction of which is 4shown in Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive. The directacting steam-cylinder 38 of the turning engine is tted with a piston, 39, secured upon a rod, 40, the outer end of which carries a cross-head, 41, to which pawls 42 and 43 are pivoted, said pawls engaging ratchet-teeth 44 and 45, respectivel y, on the periphery of abalance-wheel, 46, secured upon the crank-shaft 28 adjacent to and in rear of the main engine. The central series of ratchet-teeth, 44, with which the pawl 42 is adaptedto be engaged, extend in reverse direction to the two side series of ratchetteeth,45, with which the pair of pawls 43 may be engaged, the crank-shaft being thus capable of movement in one or the other direcltion, according as the pawl42 or the pawls 43 are employed to transmit to it the movement of the piston 39. The piston-rod is prolonged beyond` the cross-head 41, its extension 47 being dattened or squared on one side, and fitted to slide in a guide or bearin g, 48, secured upon one of the housings, a gib,49, being placed in the bearing 48 as a guide for the Hattened portion of the rod. Springs 50 51 at each end ofthe extension '47 serve a cushions to prevcntundue jar against the guide 48 when the piston reaches the extremities of its stroke. A rock-shaft, 52, is mounted in a bearing, 53, on-the cross-head 41 at right angles to the piston-rod 40, from which rock-shaft two arms, 54

55, project in opposite directions. One of the arms, 5i,is connected by a link, 56, to the central pawl, 42, and the other, 55, is similarly connected by a link, 57, to the side pawls, 43, so that by the vibration of the rock-shaft either the pawl 42 or the pawls 43 may respectively be engagedl with the corresponding 'series ot' ratchetteeth ofthe balance-wheel 46, or all the pawls beheld out ofcontact with the teeth, as desired. The -rock-shaft 52 is vihrated by a hand-lever, 58, mounted in a stand, 81, located upon the working-platform of the engine, the lever 58 having an arm, 59,'connected by a link, 60,v bell-crank 61, and link 62, with an arm, 63, on a shaft, 64, which is mounted, so as to be capable of free rotation in abearin g, 65, formed in an extension of th'e rock-shaft bearing 53 on IOO IOS

IIO

the cross-head 41, while accompanying said cross-head in its reciprocating movements. An arm, 68, on the shaft 64 is coupled by a link, 66, to the arm 55, so that when the shaft 64 is vibrated by the hand-lever 58 and its connections it imparts corresponding movement to the rock-shaft 52 and-establishes connection ot' the desired pawl or pawls with the balance- Wheel, or withdraws the pawl or pawls there` from, asthe case may be. The-shaft 64 passes through and is guided by a bearing, 67, on the cylinder 38, and it will be obvious that it must 'be connected with the arm 63 through the iutermediation of a feather and spline, so as to be free to move longitudinally in the hub of said arm, while compelled to follow the vibrations thereof about the shaft 64 as a center. The link 66 must further be provided with suitable gimbal or universal joints at its ends to enable it to conform to the arcs described by the arms 55 and 68 in the traverse thereof induced by the movements of the hand-lever 58.

38 is operated by The steam-valve 69 ofthe turning cylinder a hand-lever, 70, mounted in the bearing 8l of the paWl-lever 58, concentrically with the latter, and havin g an arm, 7 i, connected bya link, 72, double-armed rocking lever 73, link 74, rock-shaft 82, and arms" 75 83, and links 76 77, With the valve-stem 78. The link 77 is coupled by alink, 79, to a stud, 80, ou the crosshead 41, so that the valve will be closed automatically by the movement of the cross-head, for the purpose of cushioning the piston at the ends of its stroke in a similar manner to the `valve of the reversingcylinder hereinbet'ore described. It will be observed that both the pawl and valve-gearing of the turningengine are-thus brought within the control of the engineer by the manipulation of two levers located side by side in the same bearing, and that all portions of the turning mechanism are operated from a single stand-point.

l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Ina tandem compound steamengine,the combination,substantially as set forth, of a high-pressure piston-rod having a conical or tapered end and a collar adjacent thereto, a low pressure piston-rod having a conical central recess to receivethe end of thehigh-pressure piston-rod, and an external thread, a nut fitting the thread of the low pressure pistonrod and serving to clamp the piston thereofn position, and a threaded sleeve en ga ging said nut and securing the high and low pressure piston-rods together through' the nut of the latter.

2. In adirect-acting steam-engine, the combination,substantially as set forth, of a valvelink, a steam reversing-cylinder located substantially in line with said link when in the posilion corresponding to the teirnination of the stroke of the engine-piston, and a pair ofcounecting links or bars by which the valve-link and the cross-head of the reversing-cylinder are coupled directly together.

3. In a direct-acting steam-en gine, the combination, substantially as set forth,.of a va-lvelink, a steam reversingcylinder -located substantiallyin line with said link when in the position corresponding to the termination of the stroke of the engine-piston, and an exhaustpipe which forms the' standard or support of said reversing-cylinder.

4. In a direct-acting steam-engine, the combin ation, substantially as set forth, of a steam reversing-cylinder, and an exhaust-pipe which is recessed transversely adjacent to said cylin-l der and increased in Width throughout said recessed portion, said cylinder and exhaustpipe being connected by ilanges on each vside of said recessed portion.

5. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a crank-shaft, a balance-wheel secured thereto and having series of ratchet teeth formed in reversed directions upon its periphery, a direct-acting steam-cylinder having a piston-rod and cross-head traversing tangentially to said balance-Wheel, pawls pivoted to said cross-head and adapted to engage either of the series of ratchet teeth of the balancewheel, and a hand-lever connected to a rockshaft by which either of the pawls may be engaged with or both disengaged from the teeth of the balance-Wheel. y

6. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a crank-shaft, a balance-wheel secured thereto and having seriesl of ratchetteeth formed in reverse directions upon its periphery, a steam-cylinder adapted to operato pa-wls engaging one or the other of the series of ratchet-teeth of the. balance-wheel, and a pair of hand-levers mountedadjacent one to the other in a stand or bearing upon the workingplatform of the engine, said hand-levers operating respectively, the onel to engage and disengage the pawls and ratchet-teeth and the other to move the valve of the steam-cylinder.

7. The combination, with the cross-head of 11o a turnin g-en gine, of pivoted pawls, a rock-shaft having arms projectingin opposite directions and connected by links with said pawls, a shaft movin g with said cross-head and connected by a link with one ofthe arms of the rock-shaft, 115 anda hand-lever coupled to an arm on said longitudinally-moving shaft, the shaft and arm being connected' through a feather and spline, so that the shaftshall partake of the vibrations ofthe arm and be allowed free longitudinal [2o movement withinit, substantially as set forth.

HORACE sEE.

Witnesses Ioo A 

